2013 Law Day Events in Full Swing

Bar associations and young lawyer groups across the state are gearing up for this year’s Law Day with events that began this week and run through the first week of May.

Chattanooga – The Chattanooga Bar Association will hold its annual Law Day Luncheon on May 1 with a keynote address by U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander. The event, scheduled to begin at noon, will be held at the Chattanooga Convention Center, Ballroom H-I. Sponsors include BB&T and the Hamilton County Herald.

Greeneville -- The Northeast Tennessee Chapter of the Federal Bar Association will hold a Law Day Luncheon and Celebration on May 2 at the General Morgan Inn in Greeneville. The event will feature remarks by Judge J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and a keynote address by Rita Sanders Geier -- a senior fellow at the Baker Center for Public Policy, civil rights pioneer and namesake of the Geier Consent Decree of 2001. The event, which will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., will conclude with an award presentation for area students who participated in the Law Day Essay and You Tube Video contests.

Knoxville – The Knoxville Bar Association is hosting its annual Law Day Luncheon May 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Passion for Serving the Community.” The event will be held at the Foundry on the Fair Site and feature remarks by Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. Clark and Knoxville lawyers Wynne du Mariau Caffey, Rick Carl, Sam C. Doak, Kati Goodner and Ian P. Hennessey. The Barristers will announce the student winners of its Law Day Art & Essay Contest, recognize the district’s winning high school mock trial team and present its Law & Liberty Award. The KBA will honor the Barrister's Law Week activities, which also included presenting the Junior Judges program to area third graders, holding a professional clothing drive for low-income individuals and holding a cell phone drive to provide resources to women in need.

Memphis – The Memphis Bar Association YLD kicked off Law Week activities with its annual Legal Lines on WREG-TN Channel 3 last Tuesday. During the two and a half hour show, local attorneys provided legal advice to members of the public who called the station. On Friday, the entire bar gathered for the 6th Annual Law Week Launch Party in Court Square. Members enjoyed BBQ, ice cream and music by the band WALRUS while stocking the pantry at Mid-South Food Bank with canned goods brought to the event. Today, the group hosted a naturalization ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Cannon Center. Volunteers assisted in handing out programs and American flags to new citizens. The week wraps up with a memorial service on May 1 for Memphis lawyers who passed away in the last year. That service takes place at the Calvary Episcopal Church at noon. See the line up of all Law Day events.

Nashville – The Nashville Bar Association will hold its annual Law Day Celebration May 1 at the Downtown Renaissance Hotel from noon to 1 p.m. Remarks will be delivered by U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, who represents the Nashville area in Congress. The district’s Law Day Art & Essay Contest winners will be recognized, and awards will be presented to Andrew Shookhoff and David Raybin. Shookhoff will receive the Liberty Bell Award, which recognizes a person or group that promotes better understanding of the rule of law, encourages greater respect for the law and the courts, stimulates a sense of civic responsibility or contributes to good government. Raybin will receive the Norman Award, which is given to a criminal law practitioner or criminal court judge in the Metropolitan Nashville area. Raybin practices with Hollins Raybin & Weissman.